India vs Australia LIVE 3rd Test Day 5: India in trouble, Lyon removes solid Rishabh Pant at 97

January 11, 2021

Ind vs Aus LIVE Score, India vs Australia 3rd Test, Day 5: The 104-run stand between Rishabh Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara has kept India alive in the contest. The final day did not start well as Ajinkya Rahane departed in the second over but that is all Australia could manage in the 35 overs. Pant was promoted ahead of Hanuma Vihari to take on Nathan Lyon and it was a fascinating battle between the duo.

The off-spinnier should have had him a couple of times with Paine dropping two catches but the keeper-batsman took his chances and got a few boundaries away as well.

Pujara, meanwhile, has done what he does best — defend. However, he has shown some intent too. India’s chances of winning lie with how long the duo stays in the middle.

Australia tried almost every bowler in the session but just were not able to break this stand. How long can Pant keep going like this? What impact will the second new ball have?

Ind vs Aus 3rd Test, Day 5 LIVE:

8:49: This is how Bharat Army celebrated Rishabh Pant

Drinks are on the field now. Another exciting passage of play. India need 145 to win. If this pair can get that to double figures things will get extremely interesting.

8:38: 82nd over: India 250-4 (Pujara 58, Vihari 0) A good sign from Vihari, as he comes onto the front foot to drive Hazlewood crisply, though it gets stopped at cover. A maiden in the end.

8:24: WICKET!!! Lyon to Pant, out Caught by Cummins!!

An anti-climax! And Lyon has the last laugh. The Australian offspinner lets out a loud roar.

India need 157 to win.

🐐 No.396#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/FsQE6jwMqu

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 11, 2021

8:00: 72nd over: India 211-3 (Pujara 42, Pant 75) Lyon to start proceedings to Rishabh Pant, with that bat-pad in place on the offside. Pant skips immediately and drives a run to long-on. Some ODI batting. Pujara comes down as well and flicks away, and it’s a chance but a near-impossible one.

India need 189 runs to win.

7:11: Lunch – India 206 for 3, with 62 overs left and 201 to win

What a session of Test cricket: that’s as good as just about anything else I’ve seen. Hazlewood, Cummins, Lyon all bowling really well. The anticipation overnight, the dismissal of India’s captain early. But then the masterstroke of sending the team’s most attacking player out there, something that may not have worked nine times out of ten, but this is the ten. Rishabh Pant took them on like you rarely see in Test cricket, hitting three sixes and eight fours, and severely disrupting Australia’s premier spinner.

Australia’s problems have been Starc bowling poorly and Paine’s two dropped catches behind the wicket. He’ll get plenty of scrutiny for those, although I’d class them as the type that a keeper doesn’t have control over: they either hit the gloves or they don’t.

The numbers still say it’s Australia’s Test: the likelihood is that the one erratic ball will come along, the partnership will end, and the probable result will arrive. But for now, the chance of something far more remarkable happening survives.

6:54: 68th over: India 202-3 (Pujara 37, Pant 73)

Rishabh Pant is on a rampage. If he gets going and does not throw away his wicket India have a fair chance of winning.

100-run stand between the odd couple, Pujara and Pant! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/9SdHd1rCO0

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 11, 2021

6:43: 64th over: India 192-3 (Pujara 32, Pant 68) Lyon to Pujara, who is looking to score once or twice but can’t beat the field with his nudges.

6:36: 62nd over: India 179-3 (Pujara 29, Pant 59) Pant pushes an early run to point from Lyon. Australia having to go some Plans B & C now.

6:18: 59th over: India 174-3 (Pujara 27, Pant 56)

Impressed with Pant’s consistent 25+ scores. For the next test at Gabba, I would play him purely as a batsman. Has a knack of putting pressure on bowlers & help the run rate move up quickly.

Rishabh Pant averages 52 when attacking spinners in Test cricket. In part, that is related to attacking poorer deliveries, but it could also be related to his attacking technique being stronger than his defensive technique. #AUSvIND

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 11, 2021

Rishabh Pant’s average defensive shot against pace this series has made contact with the ball 2.2m away from his stumps. That’s the furthest down the track of any player, barring Cameron Green, in the series. #AUSvIND

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 11, 2021

6:13: Fifty! Pant 50 from 64 balls

57th over: India 168-3 (Pujara 27, Pant 50) Lyon to Pant, who comes down the track and drives six over cover! Absolutely nailed that one, right out of the middle after getting right to the pitch, first ball of the over. Goodness me!

Pant’s on fire! That’s his 50 #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/BM0gFVGkPk

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 11, 2021

6:10: 56th over: India 155-3 (Pujara 27, Pant 37) Little milestones for India, they’ve batted through an hour and a half this morning and only lost one wicket. Their reward is to face Mitchell Starc. He starts off down the leg side, as is his style to start with, which usually means a perfect yorker isn’t far away. Not this time though: five balls that are all either leg stump or outside, then one that’s too wide outside off.

Pant’s enjoying himself out there now!

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 11, 2021

5:47: 52nd over: India 144-3 (Pujara 26, Pant 28) This is interesting, Labuschagne is getting a bowl. His part-time leg breaks. Paine perhaps hoping to tempt Pant into even more indiscretions. They’ve got enough in the bank to buy him out.

5:29: 47th over: India 116-3 (Pujara 22, Pant 5) Hazlewood to Pujara, the Indian batsman does what he does best, defend. Just like a wall. Has to play every ball of the over bar the bouncer.

46th over: India 116-3 (Pujara 22, Pant 5) Lyon will bowl all day. Pujara backs away and cuts fine of the gully fieldsman, who has to run around to the ball and thus gives them time for a quick single. Pant sees out the next four balls.

4:30: WICKET! Rahane c Wade b Lyon 4, India 102-3

The early wicket falls! All of India’s overnight hopes sag along with it, as the stand-in captain goes. Nathan ‘Nathan’ Lyon in his first over the day, always with the idea that the spinner should take wickets on day five, and after a wicketless match so far he gets career victim 395 at last. Pretty straightforward, he bowls an off-break with lots of loop, Rahane doesn’t time his forward defensive press, he’s too early on it and it takes a thick inside edge that goes directly to short leg, travelling fast but Wade holds it.